untitled

Why Go?

If you’re suﬀ ering from too much heat, dust or crowds,
then the tiny, former Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim is the
perfect antidote. Fresh mountain air sweeps the lush green
state; there’s room to move but the people are among India’s
friendliest, with a charming manner that’s unobtrusive and
slightly shy.

Plunging mountain valleys are lushly forested, inter-

spersed with rice terraces and fl owering rhododendrons.
Tibetan-style Buddhist monasteries (gompas) add splashes
of white, gold and vermilion to the green ridges and are ap-
proached through avenues of fl uttering prayer fl ags.

Sikkim’s big-ticket item is the majesty of Khangchend-

zonga (Kanchenjunga; 8598m), the world’s third-highest
mountain, straddling the border between Sikkim and Ne-
pal. Khangchendzonga’s guardian spirit is worshipped in a
series of spectacular autumn festivals and its magnifi cent
white peaks and ridges create the backdrop to a dozen won-
derful walks and viewpoints.

When to Go

Late Sep–

mid-Nov

Clearest weather

for views, but

high-season

crowds and prices.

Apr–May

Spring blooms

and warmth make

up for cloudier

skies.

Mid-Jun–Sep

Good for northern

Sikkim but mon-

soon rains hide

mountain views

elsewhere.

Gangtok

-20/-4

20/68

40/104

0/32

°C/°F Temp

Rainfall

inches/mm

32/800

16/400

24/600

8/200

Sikkim

East Sikkim . . . . . . . . .530

Gangtok . . . . . . . . . . . 530
North Sikkim . . . . . . . .538

Gangtok to Singhik. . 538
South Sikkim . . . . . . .540

Namchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540

Jorethang (Naya

Bazaar) . . . . . . . . . . . . .541
West Sikkim . . . . . . . . 541

Ravangla (Rabongla) 541

Geyzing, Tikjuk &

Legship . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543

Pelling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543

The Monastery Loop 545

Best Places to
Stay

Camping on the Goecha

La trek (p 548 )

Elgin Mount Pandim

(p 544 )

Mt Narsing Resort (p 542 )

Best Monasteries

Tashiding Gompa (p 549 )

Pemayangtse Gompa

(p 545 )

Labrang Gompa (p 538 )

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

DON’T MISS

Sikkim’s monastic chaam masked dances are the

Himalaya at their most colourful. Part morality play,

part country fair and part exorcism, the dances feature

masked monks acting out Buddhist parables, stories

from the life of Guru Rinpoche and dances representing

the victory of good over evil, with a supporting crew of

clowns, demons and dancing snowlions, all entertaining

a crowd of spellbound locals dressed in their Sunday

best. It’s worth arranging your itinerary around.

Food & Drink

Sikkim’s one ‘don’t-miss’ beverage is tongba, an alcoholic
millet beer that is enjoyed across the entire eastern Hima-
laya. The beer (also known as chhang) is sipped through a
bamboo straw and the wooden container (the tongba) is
topped up periodically with boiling water to let the brew
gain strength. You can fi nd tongba anywhere in northern
and western Sikkim.

Traditional Sikkimese foods include sisnoo/sochhya

(nettle soup), ningro (fried fi ddlehead ferns), Tibetan-style
churpi (dried yak cheese) and the Nepali speciality gun-
druk ko jhol (fermented mustard-leaf soup).

Top State Festivals

Losar (Feb/Mar, Pemayangtse, p 545 , Rumtek, p 536 ,

Enchey, p 530 ) Sikkim’s biggest chaam (monastic masked

dances) take place just before Tibetan New Year.

Bumchu (Feb/Mar, Tashiding Gompa, p 549 ) Bum means

pot or vase and chu means water. The lamas open a pot of

holy water to foretell the year’s fortunes.

Saga Dawa (May/Jun, all monastery towns) Religious

ceremonies and parades commemorate Buddha’s birth,

enlightenment and death.

Pang Lhabsol (Aug, Ravangla, p 542 ) Prayers and religious

dances are performed in honour of Sikkim’s guardian deity

Khangchendzonga.

Losoong (Dec/Jan, Old Rumtek, p 536 ) Sikkimese New

Year, preceded by chaam dances in many locations includ-

ing Lingdum, Phodong, Phensang and Ralang.

Detor Chaam (Dec/Jan, Enchey Gompa, p 530 ) Chaam

dances.

MAIN POINTS OF

ENTRY

If entering Sikkim via

Rangpo, permits are

available at the border.

For entry via Jorethang

permits must be

arranged in advance.

Fast Facts

Population: 607,700

Area: 7096 sq km

Capital: Gangtok

Main language: Nepali

Sleeping prices:

below

₹700,

₹700 to ₹3000,

$$$

above ₹3000

Top Tip

Shared jeeps are the best

way to get around the hills.

To avoid getting landed with

a cramped sideways-facing

back seat, book a seat in

advance; and if you really

value your personal space,

book all the front seats for

yourself.

Resources

Cultural Affairs &

Heritage Department

(www.sikkim-culture.gov.in)

offers cultural background.

Government of Sikkim

Tourism (www.sikkim

tourism.travel) lists sights,

homestays and entry

formalities.

Sikkiminfo (www.sikkim

info.net) provides an

excellent introduction.

528

ὄὄ

ὄ

(45km)

To Siliguri

(20km)

To Darjeeling

Lake

(Changu)

Tsomgo

T I B E T

C H I N A

W E S T B E N G A L

T I B E T

B H U T A N

C H I N A

N E P A L

Linzey

Tsopta

Rongli

Pakyong

Sang

Manglai

Mangan

Phodong

Ranga

Rinchenpong

(Naya Bazaar)

Tikjuk

Phensang

Melli

Lungthung

Samdong

Yume

Reshi

Dikchu

Gangtok

Kokchurong

Uttarey

Chewabhanjang

Dhor

Garakhet

Gomathang

Singhik

Teesta Bazaar

Thanggu

Chungthang

Phedang

Jorethang

Ralang

Geyzing

Legship

Damthang

Baktim

Tsokha

Dzongri

Chaunrikhiang

Thangsing

Jemathang

Melli Bazaar

Soreng

Sombare

Dentam

Lachen

Rangpo

Singtam

Ranipul

Kupup

Kalimpong

Lachung

Yuksom

Not Permitted

Crossing

Border

Lookout

Khangchendzonga

Only

for Indian Citizens

Border Crossing

Glacier

Zemu

Sanctuary

Alpine

Kyongosla

National Park

Khangchendzonga

Hill (3150m)

Maenam

Valley

Tsopta

(2589m)

Tendong

(6910m)

Nepal Peak

(4810m)

Kabur

(5825m)

Narsing

(6691m)

Pandim

(7338m)

Kabru

(8598m)

Khangchendzonga

(5780m)

Siniolchu

(6889m)

Kangchengyao

(7125m)

Pauhunri

(6829m)

Chomoyummo

(6601m)

Kora Kang

Goecha La

Range

Singalila

Khang La

Singalila La

R a n g e

P a n g o l a

Lake

Gurudongmar

Lake

Green

Valley

Chumbi

River

han

Chumbi

geet

Ran

Great

River

Ranipul

Teesta River

River

Teesta River

Samdruptse

Falls

Phamrong

Yumthang

Solophuk

Lingdum

(2488m)

Tolung

Labrang

Viewpoint

Tashi

Tok

Hanuman

Mt Katao

Jelep La

Phimkaru-La

Gora-La

Kangra-La

Nathu La

Falls

Sisters

Seven

31A

Trail

Hillside

Yuksom

Pelling

Lake

Khecheopalri

Valley

Yumthang

Ravangla

Tashiding

Rumtek

Namchi

10 miles

20 km

Wonder at the spectacular

scenery of the Sikkim

Himalaya on a 4WD trip to the

Yumthang Valley (p 539 )

Be enthralled by a colourful

chaam (masked monk dance)

at Rumtek gompa (p 536 )

Take in dawn Khangchen-

dzonga views in Pelling

(p 543 ), visit Pemayangtse

Gompa (p 545 ), then help out

the local schoolkids by eating

banana cake

Wander among the

prayer fl ags, mantras and

ancient chortens (stupas) of

Tashiding Gompa (p 548 )

Hike the scenic hillside

trail (p 547 ) from Yuksom to

Tashiding

Stare open-mouthed

at one of Sikkim’s gigantic

religious statues, in Namchi

(p 540 ) or Ravangla (p 542 )

Overnight at peaceful

Khecheopalri Lake (p 545 )

before hiking up to a nearby

meditation cave

Sikkim Highlights

529

History

Lepchas, the ‘original’ Sikkimese people, mi-
grated here from Assam or Myanmar (Bur-
ma) in the 13th century, followed by Bhutias
(people of Tibetan origin) who fl ed from reli-
gious strife in Tibet during the 15th century.
The Nyingmapa form of Vajrayana (Tibetan)
Buddhism arrived with three refugee Ti-
betan lamas who encountered each other at
the site of modern-day Yuksom. Here in 1641
they crowned Phuntsog Namgyal as fi rst
chogyal (king) of Sikkim. The capital later
moved to Rabdentse (near Pelling), then to
Tumlong (Phodong) before fi nally settling in
Gangtok following a Nepali invasion.

At their most powerful the chogyals’ rule

encompassed eastern Nepal, upper Bengal
and Darjeeling. However, much territory
was later lost during wars with Bhutan and
Nepal, and throughout the 19th century
large numbers of Hindu Nepali migrants ar-
rived, eventually coming to form a majority
of Sikkim’s population.

In 1835 the British bribed Sikkim’s chogyal

to cede Darjeeling to the East India Compa-
ny. Tibet, which regarded Sikkim as a vassal
state, raised strong objections. In 1849, amid
rising tensions, the British annexed the en-
tire area between the present Sikkim border
and the Ganges plains, repulsing a counter-
invasion by Tibet in 1886. In 1903–04, Brit-
ain’s ultimate imperial adventurer Francis
Younghusband twice trekked up to the Sik-
kim–Tibet border. There, with a small con-
tingent of soldiers, he set about inciting a fra-
cas that would ‘justify’ an invasion of Tibet.

Sikkim’s last chogyal ruled from 1963 to

1975, when the Indian government deposed
him after a revolt by Sikkim’s Nepali popula-
tion. China didn’t recognise India’s claim to
Sikkim until 2005 so prior to this, to bolster
pro-Delhi sentiment, the Indian govern-
ment made Sikkim a tax-free zone, pouring
crores (tens of millions) of rupees into road-
building, electricity, water supplies and local
industry. As a result Sikkim is surprisingly
aﬄ

uent by Himalayan standards.

Activities

Sikkim oﬀ ers considerable trekking poten-
tial. Day hikes between villages follow centu-
ries-old footpaths and normally don’t require
permits: the most popular option is between
Yuksom and Tashiding. For multiday treks
that head into the high Himalaya, notably to
Goecha La at the base of Khangchendzonga
(p 548 ), you need to book through a trekking
agency to arrange permits and guides.

Tour agencies are striving to open new

trekking areas, notably the fabulous route
across Zemu Glacier to Green Lake in
Khangchendzonga National Park. However,
permits remain very expensive and take
months to arrange from Delhi, while tempt-
ing routes close to the Tibetan border re-
main oﬀ -limits.

Permits

STANDARD PERMITS

Foreigners require an

Inner Line Permit to enter Sikkim (Indians don’t).

These are free and a mere formality, although to

apply you’ll need photos and passport photocop-

ies. Permits are most easily obtainable at Dar-

jeeling or the Rangpo border post on arrival but

can also be obtained at Indian embassies abroad

when getting your visa and the following places:

Foreigners’ Regional Registration Offices

(FRRO) Delhi (Map p 78 ;

011-26195530;

frrodelhi@hotmail.com; Level 2, East Block 8,

Sector 1, Rama Krishna (RK) Puram;

9.30am-

5.30pm Mon-Fri); Kolkata (Map p 450 ;

22837034; 237 AJC Bose Rd;

11am-5pm

Mon-Fri); Mumbai (Map p 730 ;

22620446;

Annexe Bldg No 2, CID, Badaruddin Tyabji Rd,

near Special Branch) Or other major branches.

Sikkim House Delhi (

11-26883026; 12-14

Panchsheel Marg, Chankyapuri, Delhi); Kolkata

(Map p 450 ;

22817905; 4/1 Middleton St;

10.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-2pm Sat)

Sikkim Tourist Office Darjeeling

(

9832438118; Nehru Rd;

10am-4pm

Mon-Sat); Siliguri, West Bengal (SNT Terminal,

Hill Cart Rd;

10am-5pm) For an on-the-spot

Sikkim permit bring a photocopy of your pass-

port and Indian visa, plus one photo.

EXTENSIONS

Permits are generally valid for

30 days (sometimes 15 days from embassies

abroad). One or two days before expiry they can

be extended for a further 30 days, giving a maxi-

mum of 60 days. For the extension try these:

Gangtok Foreigners’ Registration Oﬃ ce (p 535 )

Tikjuk District Administration Centre,

Superintendent of Police, (p 543 ), 5km below

Pelling.

BLOODY LEECHES

Sikkim is generally a very safe place;

the only annoyance is the famous little

leeches. They aren’t dangerous, just a

nuisance, primarily during the summer

monsoon (June to September). They’re

ubiquitous in damp grass so stick to

dry, wide paths.

530

IKKI
M

Once you leave Sikkim, you must wait three

months before applying for another permit.

PERMIT VALIDITY

The standard permit is valid

for visits to the following areas:

Gangtok, Rumtek and Lingdum

South Sikkim

anywhere on the Gangtok–Singhik road

most of West Sikkim to which paved roads

extend.

SPECIAL PERMITS

High-altitude treks, includ-

ing the main Goecha La and Singalila Ridge

routes, require trekking permits valid for up to

15 days and organised by trekking agents.

For travel beyond Singhik up the Lachung

and Lachen valleys foreigners need additional

restricted area permits from the tourism

department and police and, even with these,

cannot go further than the Tsopta valley or Yume

Samdong (Zero Point). Indian citizens need a

police permit to travel north of Singhik, but can

travel further up the Thangu valley to Gurudong-

mar Lake.

Foreigners also need a restricted area permit

to visit Tsomgo (Changu) Lake. Indians only (no

foreigners) are permitted to travel east past

Tsomgo Lake to the Tibetan border at Nathu La.

Restricted area permits are issued locally

through approved tour agencies and you will

have to join a tour to get one. You’ll need a mini-

mum group of two, a passport photo, and copies

of your existing permit, visa and passport details

page. Permits take 24 hours to arrange and last

for a maximum of fi ve days.

EAST SIKKIM

Gangtok

03592 / POP 31,100 / ELEV 1400-1700M

Sikkim’s capital is mostly a functional sprawl
of multistorey concrete boxes. But, true to its
name (meaning ‘hill top’), these are steeply
tiered along a precipitous mountain ridge.
When clouds clear, typically at dawn, views
are inspiring with Khangchendzonga soar-
ing above the western horizon. While Gang-
tok’s manmade attractions are minor, it’s
a reasonable place to spend a day or two
organising a trek or trips to the north.

Gangtok’s crooked spine is the Rangpo–

Mangan road, National Hwy 31A, cryptically
referred to as 31ANHWay. The tourist oﬃ

ce,

banks and many shops line the central pe-
destrianised Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Marg.

Sights

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology &

Around

MUSEUM, VIEWPOINT

(

281642; www.tibetology.net; Deorali; admis-

sion ₹10;

10am-4pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd Sat

of month)

Housed in traditionally styled

Tibetan architecture, this unique institute
was established in 1958 to promote research
into Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan cul-
ture. The museum hall displays Buddhist
manuscripts, icons, thangkas (Tibetan reli-
gious paintings) and Tantric ritual objects,
such as a thöpa (bowl made from a human
skull) and kangling (human thighbone
trumpet). There are plenty of useful explan-
atory captions.

Further along the same road is the

Do-

Drul Chorten

, a large white Tibetan pagoda

surrounded by dormitories for novice monks.

The institute sits in a park and is con-

veniently close to the lower station of

Da-

movar Ropeway

(per person adult/child return

₹60/35;

9.30am-4.30pm)

, a cable car run-

ning from Secretariat ridge. The views are
stupendous, if you can bear to look down.

Ridge

PARK

With views east and west, it’s very pleasant
to stroll through shady parks and gardens
on the city’s central ridge. Its focal point
the

Raj Bhawan

(the former Royal Palace)

is closed to visitors, though the impressive

Tsuglhakhang

temple is often open early in

the morning (and during major festivals) to
pilgrims and curious tourists.

During the spring bloom (March and

April) it’s worth peeping inside the

Flower

Exhibition Centre

(admission ₹10;

9am-

5pm)

, a modestly sized greenhouse full of

exotic orchids, anthuriums and lilium.

Enchey Gompa

MONASTERY

(

4am-4pm Mon-Sat, 4am-1pm Sun)

Approached

through gently rustling conifers high above
Gangtok, this monastery dating back to 1909
is Gangtok’s most attractive, with some de-
cent murals and statues of Tantric deities.
The monastery founder was famous for his
levitational skills. It comes alive for the co-
lourful Detor Chaam masked dances in
December/January (28th and 29th day of the
11th Tibetan lunar month).

Ganesh Tok & Around

VIEWPOINTS

From Enchey Gompa the main road swings
northeast around the obvious telecommuni-
cations tower to a collection of prayer fl ags,
where a footpath scrambles up in around

531

GANG

15 minutes to

Ganesh Tok viewpoint

. Fes-

tooned in colourful prayer fl ags, Ganesh Tok
oﬀ ers superb city views and its minicafe
serves hot teas.

Hanuman Tok

, another impressive view-

point, sits on a hilltop around 4km drive
beyond Ganesh Tok, though there are short-
cuts for walkers.

Gangtok’s best view of Khangchendzonga

can be found from the

Tashi viewpoint

4km northwest of town, beside the main
route to Phodong.

Himalayan Zoological Park

ZOO

(

223191; admission ₹50, video ₹500;

9am-4pm)

Across the road from Ganesh Tok viewpoint,
a lane leads into the zoo. Red pandas, Hima-
layan bears and snow leopards roam around
in extensive wooded enclosures so large that
you’ll value a car to shuttle between them.

Tours

Classic early morning ‘three-point tours’ show
you Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok and Tashi
viewpoints (₹500). Almost any travel agent,
hotel or taxi driver oﬀ ers variants, includ-
ing a ‘fi ve-point tour’ adding Enchey Gompa
and Namgyal Institute (₹700), or ‘seven-point
tours’ tacking on old-and-new Rumtek (₹900)
or Rumtek plus Lingdum (₹1200). Prices are
per vehicle holding three or four passengers.

For high-altitude treks, visits to Tsomgo

Lake or tours to northern Sikkim you’ll
need a tour agency. There are more than
180 agencies but only 10% of those work
with foreigners; look for a company that be-
longs to Travel Agents Association of Sikkim
(TAAS) as its members conform to ecologi-
cally and culturally responsible guidelines.

Sikkim Tourism

Development Corporation

SCENIC FLIGHTS

(STDC;

203960; stdcsikkim@yahoo.co.in; MG

Marg)

For eagle-eye mountain views, STDC

books scenic helicopter fl ights. Prices are for

up to fi ve passengers (four for Khangchend-
zonga ridge): buzz over Gangtok (₹7590, 15
minutes); circuit of West Sikkim (₹66,000, 55
minutes); circuit of North Sikkim (₹78,500, 65
minutes); Khangchendzonga ridge (₹90,000,
75 minutes). Book at least three days ahead.

Blue Sky Treks & Travels

TREKKING

(

205113; www.himalayantourismonline.com;

Tourism Bldg, MG Marg)

Trekking and tours.

Ecotourism & Conservation

Society of Sikkim

HOMESTAYS

(ECOSS;

232798; www.sikkimhomestay.com;

Tadong/Daragaon)

Can arrange homestays

(₹600 to ₹1500 per person) in Dzongu
(permits required), Pastanga and Yuksom
villages.

Galaxy Tours & Treks

TREKKING

(

201290; www.tourhimalayas.com; Metro Point)

Tours to North Sikkim and runs several
hotels in the Lachung Valley.

Hub Outdoor

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

(

9434203848; www.gosikkim; Tibet Rd)

Offers

mountain biking, trekking and even can-
yoning, with a decent outdoor gear shop.

Modern Treks & Tours

TREKKING

(

204670; www.modernresidency.com; Modern

Central Lodge, MG Marg)

Trekking and North

Sikkim tours.

Namgyal Treks & Tours

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

(

203701; www.namgyaltreks.com; Tibet Rd)

Trekking, mountaineering, mountain bik-
ing, tours to northern Sikkim. Also runs a
homestay below Gangtok.

Potala Tours & Treks

TREKKING

(

200043; www.sikkimhimalayas.com; PS Rd)

Top end of the price range.

Sikkim Tours & Travels

TREKKING, BIRDWATCHING

(

202188; www.sikkimtours.com; Church Rd)

Specialises in trekking, birdwatching and
botanical tours.

Sleeping

Peak seasons for Gangtok accommodation
are March to May and September to No-
vember, reaching a peak in October. Decent
budget hotels are in short supply any time
of year. Check rooms carefully as standards
can vary widely even within the same hotel.

Hidden Forest

GUESTHOUSE $$

(

205197; www.hiddenforestretreat.org; Middle

Sichey Busty; s/d ₹1800/2000)

A wonderful,

friendly family-run hideaway on the edge
of town, secluded on more than a hectare of
fruit trees, orchid and fl ower nurseries. The

FURTHER THAN IT

LOOKS

Sikkim is tiny, only approximately 80km

from east to west and 100km north to

south but, due to the seriously vertical

terrain, it is slow to traverse. Your next

destination, just across the valley, looks

an hour’s drive away but will probably

take closer to three or four.

532

IKKI
M

14 rooms are nicely furnished with Tibetan
motifs, polished wood fl oors and private bal-
conies, and there’s fi ne terrace seating. The
environmental credentials are also impres-
sive: superb food comes from the solar-pow-
ered kitchen, a resident cow provides dairy

produce and all vegetable matter is compos-
ted. A taxi from the centre costs ₹80.

Mintokling Guest House

GUESTHOUSE $$

(

204226; www.mintoklingsikkim.com; Bhanu Path;

s/d from ₹1250/1650;

)

Set within secluded

gardens far from the traﬃ

c noise, this lodge-

666

›

Raj

Bhawan

Damovar
Ropeway

tio

)

Bhanu

Bh a

Church Rd

Tibet

way 31A

)

Upper Damovar

Ropeway Station

Gate

White

Memorial

Hall

Gangtok

‚

To Damovar Ropeway Lower Station
(1km); Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
(1.5km); Deorali Jeep Stand (1.5km);
Hotel Tashi Tagey (3km); ECOSS (3km);
Rumtek (23km)

To Hidden

Forest (2km);

Lingdum Gompa

(17km)

Palijor

Stadium

To Ganesh Tok
and Himalayan

Zoological Park

(3km); Hanuman

Tok (7km); Tsomgo

Lake (36km)

To Rachna Bookshop
(300m); Handicrafts &
Handlooms Emporium
(600m); Tashi Viewpoint
(5km); Ganesh Tok (10km)

‚

To Enchey

Gompa (1km)

200 m

0.1 miles

‚

533

SLEEP

GANG

like family home of a dozen rooms is a real
oasis, featuring Sikkimese fabrics, timber
ceilings and prayer fl ags in the garden. The
restaurant serves seasonal Sikkimese speciali-
ties like nettle soup and fried fi ddlehead fern.

Hotel Pandim

HOTEL $

(

9832080172; www.hotelpandim.com; Secre-

tariat; s/d/tr from ₹500/650/950, deluxe s/d from

₹950/1250;

)

Right on the top of the ridge,

this well-run guesthouse is perhaps the best
at the upper end of the budget options. Top-
fl oor deluxe rooms have the best views but
the cheaper basement rooms are also clean
and good value with TV and a small balcony.
The top-fl oor restaurant is particularly nice,
with great views, a fi ne terrace and tradi-
tional meals if ordered in advance. Barking
dogs can be a problem at night.

Hotel Tashi Tagey

HOTEL $$

(

231631; www.tashitagey.com; 31ANHWay, Ta-

dong; d ₹850-1650;

)

For Tibetan hospital-

ity at its best it’s worth seeking out this

super-friendly place, 3km below Gangtok.
There’s a wide range of spotless rooms, great
views from the rooftop bonsai garden and
the Tibetan food is some of the best you’ll
ever taste (ask Nyima to make her excellent
cottage cheese with tomato and basil). The
main drawback is the heavy road noise, so
get a room at the back. The location appears
inconvenient but frequent shared taxis (₹15)
shuttle between the hotel and Gangtok.

Hotel Nor-Khill

HERITAGE HOTEL $$$

(

205637; www.elginhotels.com; PS Rd; s/d incl full

board ₹6900/7200;

)

Oozing 1930s elegance,

this sumptuous ‘house of jewels’ was original-
ly the King of Sikkim’s royal guesthouse. His-
torical photos, antique furniture and Tibetan
carpets line the hallways and lobby, giving the
latter a Victorian feel. The spaciously luxuri-
ous rooms attract fi lm stars and Dalai Lamas.

New Modern Central Lodge

HOTEL $

(

201361; Tibet Rd; dm ₹100, d ₹300-400, s without

bathroom ₹150)

A backpacker’s favourite for so

Gangtok

æ Sights

Taste of Tibet .........................................B4

Flower Exhibition Centre....................... D2

Tsuglhakhang ........................................ C5

Drinking

Hotel Nor-Khill ...............................(see 10)

Activities, Courses & Tours

Indulge ....................................................B3

Blue Sky Treks & Travels ...................... B3

Tashi Delek Hotel ...................................B5

Galaxy Tours & Treks ............................ B3

Hub Outdoor .......................................... C2

Entertainment

Modern Treks & Tours ................. (see 15)

Café Live and Loud.................................C3

Namgyal Treks & Tours ........................ C3

Potala Tours & Treks............................. C2

Shopping

Sikkim Tours & Travels ......................... A3

Golden Tips.............................................B5

Khangchendzonga Market ....................A5

Sleeping

Chumbi Residency ................................ C3

Information

Hotel Nor-Khill ........................................B1

Foreigners' Registration

Hotel Pandim ......................................... C4

Office ....................................................B5

Hotel Sonam Delek................................ C2

Sikkim Tourist Information

Kanchen Residency............................... C2

Centre ..................................................B3

Mintokling Guest House........................ C3

STNM Hospital .......................................C2

Modern Central Lodge .......................... B3

New Modern Central Lodge.................. C3

Transport

Lal Bazzar Taxi Stand ............................A5

Eating

Railway Booking Counter ............ (see 33)

Bakers Cafe............................................ B4

Shared Taxis to Tadong.........................B5

Gangtalk ................................................. B3

Sikkim Tourism Development

Golden Pagoda ...................................... B4

Corporation ............................... (see 29)

Parivar Restaurant ................................ B4

SNT Bus Station..................................... C1

Roll House .............................................. B3

Southwest Jeep Stand...........................B3

Tangerine ........................................ (see 9)

Taxi Stand............................................... C1

534

IKKI
M

long that people still come here despite some-
what dreary rooms (front-facing rooms are
easily the best). With plenty of cheap options
and a friendly ground-fl oor restaurant and
budget tour agency, it will probably remain a
shoestring standby. Most rooms have a toilet
but only a few have hot-water showers.

Modern Central Lodge

GUESTHOUSE $

(

221081; info@modern-hospitality.com; 31AN-

HWay; d ₹500-700, tr ₹600)

More rupees buy you

a slightly larger room right on the main junc-
tion by MG Marg. There’s good home-cooked
food on the roof garden if you book ahead.

Hotel Sonam Delek

HOTEL $$

(

202566; www.hotelsonamdelek.com; Tibet Rd;

d ₹1000-3000)

This is a longstanding favou-

rite oﬀ ering good service, reliable food and a
great back terrace with views over the valley.
The best-value super-deluxe rooms (₹2000)
come with soft mattresses and decent views.
Bigger suite rooms (₹3000) have better views
and balconies, but the standard rooms are a
very noticeable step down – in the basement.

Chumbi Residency

HOTEL $$$

(

206618; www.thechumbiresidency.com; Tibet

Rd; s/d incl breakfast from ₹2600/3400;

)

This

central three-star hotel has comfortable but
smallish rooms with fresh white walls, good
furniture and tea-and-coﬀ ee-making equip-
ment. There’s little diﬀ erence between the
two grades of rooms but make sure you get
a view. The cool basement Tangerine bar-
restaurant is recommended.

Kanchen Residency

HOTEL $$

(

9732072614; kanchenresidency@in-

diatimes.com; Tibet Rd; d back/side/front

₹600/900/1000)

Above the dismal (unre-

lated) Hotel Prince, this airy discovery is
spacious, light and well run. Upper front
rooms have good views.

Eating

Most budget hotels have cheap cafe-res-
taurants serving standard Chinese/Tibetan
dishes, basic Indian meals and Western
breakfasts.

Taste of Tibet

TIBETAN $

(MG Marg; mains ₹40-80)

You’ll have to grab

a seat early in this bustling upstairs family-
run place, and even then you’ll likely have
to share a table with Tibetan students or
maroon-robed monks. The momos (Tibetan
dumplings) are simply the best in town, or
try a shyabhale (fried meat pasty).

Golden Pagoda

INDIAN $

(MG Marg; mains ₹50-105)

The rooftop of the

hotel of the same name doesn’t look like the
location of some of the best Indian food in
town but the views, service and food are all
top-notch. Specialties include the Lucknow
chaat (savoury snacks), Rajasthani and
Gujarati thalis, and superb mixed raita (fl a-
voured yoghurt).

Gangtalk

CONTINENTAL $$

(MG Marg; mains ₹140-270,

set lunch ₹149-199)

Fresh and modern is the vibe here, with a
collection of retro album covers on the walls
and a wide range of comfort food from burgers
to bangers and mash. It’s also probably the
only place you’ll ever see fi sh momos on the
menu. Grab a seat on the fi ne terrace over-
looking interesting MG Marg.

Tangerine

SIKKIMESE $$

(Ground fl , Chumbi Residency, Tibet Rd; mains ₹130-

180)

Descend fi ve fl oors for sublime cuisine,

tasty Western snacks or cocktails in the
brilliant Japanese-style fl oor-cushioned bar
area. Try the stuﬀ ed-tomato curry or sample
Sikkimese specialities like sochhya (nettle
stew). The stylishly relaxed decor adds a real
splash of glam.

Parivar Restaurant

SOUTH INDIAN $

(MG Marg; dishes ₹60-110)

Eat here for good-

value South Indian vegetarian food; try
the various masala dosas for breakfast,
the choley paneer (chickpeas with cottage
cheese) or the all-inclusive mini/full thali
for ₹90/150.

Bakers Cafe

BAKERY $

(MG Marg; pastries from ₹12, mains ₹75-150;

8am-8pm)

The perfect breakfast escape,

this cosy Western-style cafe has strong
coffee (₹40), croissants, tempting cakes,
paninis and pizzas, though the service can
be glacial.

Roll House

SNACK BAR $

(MG Marg; rolls ₹15-30;

8am-8pm)

In an alley

just off MG Marg this hole-in-the-wall
serves delicious Kolkata-style kati rolls, a
kind of Indian enchilada.

Drinking & Entertainment

Two of the nicest locations for a quiet drink
are the large terrace of the

Tashi Delek

Hotel

(MG Marg)

or the bar and garden of the

Hotel Nor-Khil.

Cafe Live & Loud

BAR, LIVE MUSIC

(www.thriceasmuch.com;

8.30am-11pm;

)

One

of the northeast’s main live music venues,

535

SHOP
PING

GANG

this cool lounge-bar hosts live rock and blues
bands every Thursday, Friday and Saturday
evenings. There’s a full bar and food menu,
with some unusual Southeast Asian oﬀ erings
(mains ₹110 to ₹170), and a pleasant cafe-
terrace if you need a bit of peace and quiet.
The bathrooms are the cleanest in Sikkim.

Indulge

BAR

(www.thriceasmuch.com; Tibet Rd;

11am-11pm)

Big windows overlooking MG Marg add
to the cool of this modern bar-restaurant,
even if the blue-and-red walkway lights do
feel a bit like the entrance to a Disney ride.
The bar food stretches to pizza and steaks
(mains ₹60 to ₹220). If you’re lucky there’ll
be a game on the big-screen TV, if you’re
unlucky the karaoke will kick in.

Shopping

Several souvenir shops on MG Marg and PS
Rd sell Tibetan and Sikkimese handicrafts like
wooden tongba (Himalayan millet beer) pots,
prayer fl ags and Nepali-style kukri knives.

Sikkim’s tax-free status means that booze

is big business. A few local liquors are avail-
able in novelty souvenir containers. Opening
a 1L monk-shaped bottle of Old Monk Rum
(₹220) means screwing oﬀ the monk’s head!
Fireball brandy comes in a bowling-ball-
style red sphere.

Khangchendzonga Market

FOOD & DRINK

This covered market is interesting for its
range of traditional Himalayan produce,
including churpi (dried cheese on a string),
cow skin snacks, Tibetan tsampa (ground
roasted barley), dried phing noodles and cir-
cular yeast patties used for brewing chhang
(millet beer).

Handicrafts & Handloom

Emporium

HANDICRAFTS

(Zero Point;

10am-4pm Mon-Sat, daily Jul-Mar)

This government initiative teaches tradi-
tional crafts to local students and markets
their products – including toy red pandas,
1m by 2m hand-woven carpets (₹5500),
Tibetan furniture, handmade paper and
traditional Sikkimese-style dresses (₹1000
to ₹1600).

Golden Tips

FOOD & DRINK

(www.goldentipstea.in; Kazi Rd;

9am-9pm)

Buy or taste at this inviting tea showroom
with a wide selection of blends, including
Sikkimese tea from Temi. Also sells tea by
the cup (₹30).

Rachna Bookshop

BOOKSTORE

(www.rachnabooks.com; Development Area)

Gangtok’s best-stocked and most convivial
bookshop also has occasional film and
music events on the upstairs terrace.

Information

Many ATMS line MG Marg.

Axis Bank (MG Marg;

9.30am-3.30pm Mon-

Fri, 9.30am-1.30pm Sat) Changes cash and

travellers cheques and has an ATM. Stock up

with rupees in Gangtok: exchange is virtually

impossible elsewhere in Sikkim.

Cyber Cafe (MG Marg; per hr ₹30;

9am-

9pm) Internet access; the entrance is opposite

Roll House.

Foreigners’ Registration Office (Kazi Rd;

10am-4pm, 10am-noon public hols) In the

lane beside Indian Overseas Bank, for permit

extensions.

Main post office (PS Rd, Gangtok;

9am-5pm

Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun for stamps)

Police station (

202033; 31ANHWay)

STNM hospital (

222059; 31ANHWay)

Sikkim Tourist Information Centre (

toll

free 204408; www.sikkimtourism.travel; MG

Marg;

8am-8pm) Offers general advice. Open

10am to 4pm outside peak seasons. For spe-

cific queries regarding trekking and permit-area

travel, deal with a travel agent.

Getting There & Away

Air

The nearest airport to Sikkim is Bagdogra

(p 483 ), 124km from Gangtok, near Siliguri in

West Bengal, which has fl ights to Kolkata, Delhi

and Guwahati.

Helicopters shuttle from Gangtok to Bagdogra

(₹2200, 35 minutes), departing at 11am and re-

turning at 2.30pm, but services are cancelled in

adverse weather. There’s a strict maximum 10kg

baggage allowance. Sikkim Tourism Develop-

ment Corporation (

203960; MG Marg) sells

the tickets for this and scenic fl ights.

Fixed-price Maruti vans/sumos (jeeps) go

directly to Bagdogra (₹1500/1700, 4½ hours).

You’ll get the best rates from returning vehicles,

so look for West Bengal (WB) number plates.

Sikkim’s fi rst airport is planned at Pakyong,

35km from Gangtok, with a tentative completion

date of 2012.

Bus

Buses run from the government SNT bus

station (PS Rd) at 7am to Jorethang (₹80),

Kalimpong (₹80) and Namchi (₹80), at 1.15pm

to Pelling (₹122) and hourly to Siliguri (₹115 to

₹220, 6am to 1pm). In general you are better oﬀ

taking the faster and more frequent shared jeeps.

536

IKKI
M

Shared Jeeps

Some jeep departures are fi xed, others leave

when all the seats are fi lled. Departures usually

start at 6.30am for the more distant destinations

and continue up to about 2pm.

From the hectic but relatively well-organised

Deorali jeep stand (31ANHWay), 1.5km below

Gangtok, shared jeeps depart every 30 minutes

or so to Darjeeling (₹140, fi ve hours), Kalimpong

(₹150, three hours) and Siliguri (₹140, four

hours), some continuing to New Jalpaiguri train

station. There are daily jeeps to Kakarbhitta

(₹180, four hours, 6.30am) on the Nepalese

border and Jaigaon (₹250, four hours, 8am) on

the Bhutanese border. Buses to Siliguri (₹100)

also run from here. Purchase tickets in advance.

The stand is hidden in the alleys below the lower

ropeway station.

West Sikkim vehicles depart from Southwest

jeep stand (Church Rd) for Geyzing (₹140, 4½

hours, four daily), Ravangla (₹90, three hours,

four daily), Namchi (₹110, three hours, every half-

hour) and Jorethang (₹110, three hours, hourly).

Jeeps for Yuksom, Tashiding and Pelling (₹150 to

₹180, fi ve hours) depart around 7am and possibly

again around 12.30pm. For independent travel,

small groups can charter a vehicle.

Train

The nearest major train station is over 120km

away at New Jalpaiguri (NJP). There’s a comput-

erised railway booking counter (

8am-2pm

Mon-Sat, 8am-11am Sun & public hols) at the

SNT bus station.

Getting Around

There’s a taxi stand in Lal Bazaar opposite the

Denzong Cinema, and another in PS Rd just

north of the post oﬃ ce. Shared taxis to Tadong

(₹15, every 10 minutes) depart from just under

the pedestrian bridge on the National Hwy.

Around Gangtok

Rumtek and Lingdum gompas make for a
great day trip from Gangtok. Viewing the
temples takes less than an hour each, but
the winding country lanes that link them is
a big part of the attraction, curving through
mossy forests high above river valleys and
artistically terraced rice slopes.

RUMTEK

03592 / ELEV 1690M

Facing Gangtok distantly across a vast green
valley, Rumtek village is entirely dominated
by its extensive gompa complex. Spiritually
the monastery is hugely signifi cant as the
home in exile of Buddhism’s Kagyu (Black
Hat) sect. Visually it is not Sikkim’s most

spectacular sight and during high season it
can get quite crowded. To experience Rum-
tek at its most serene, stay the night and hike
around the delightful nearby hilltops at dawn.

Sights

Rumtek Gompa

MONASTERY

(

252329; www.rumtek.org)

This rambling

and walled complex is a village within a
village, containing religious buildings,
schools and several small lodge-hotels. To
enter, foreigners must show both passport
and Sikkim permit. Unusually for a monast-
ery, this place is guarded by armed police,
as there have been violent altercations, and
even an invasion, by monks who dispute the
Karmapa’s accession.

The main

monastery building

(admission

₹10;

6am-6pm)

was constructed between

1961 and 1966 to replace Tsurphu Monastery
in Tibet, which had been partially destroyed
during China’s Cultural Revolution (there’s a
mural of the original monastery beside the
metal detector). The giant throne within
awaits the crowning of Kagyu’s current spir-
itual leader, the (disputed) 17th Karmapa.

Exit to the side and take the rear stairs

past a snack shop (good tea and momos)
up to the

Golden Stupa

(

6-11.45am & noon-

5pm).

The smallish room holds the ashes of

the important 16th Karmapa in an amber,
coral and turquoise-studded reliquary to
which pilgrims pay their deepest respects. If
locked, someone from the colourful Karma
Shri Nalanda Institute of Buddhist Studies
opposite can usually open it for you.

Rumtek holds impressive masked chaam

dances during the annual Drupchen (group
meditation) in May/June, and two days be-
fore Losar (Tibetan New Year) when you
might also catch traditional lhamo (Tibetan
opera) performances.

Old Rumtek Gompa

MONASTERY

About 1.5km beyond the gompa towards
Sang, a long avenue of white prayer fl ags
and fl owers leads photogenically down to
the powder-blue Old Rumtek Gompa. De-
spite the name, the main prayer hall has
been thoroughly renovated. The interior is
a riotous festival of colour and the lonely
location is idyllic with some wonderful west-
facing views. Two days before Losoong (Sik-
kimese New Year), Old Rumtek holds the
celebrated Kagyed Chaam dance.

Lingdum Gompa

MONASTERY

(www.zurmangkagyud.org)

Only completed in

1998, peaceful Lingdum Gompa is visually

537

TOW

DS T
IB

more exciting than Rumtek. Its structure
grows out of the forest in grand layers,
with pleasant side gardens and a photoge-
nic chorten. The extensively muralled main
prayer hall enshrines huge statues of Sakya-
muni (historic) Buddha, Guru Rinpoche and
the 16th Karmapa. Sonorous chanting at the
7.30am and 3.30pm puja (prayers/oﬀ erings)
adds to the magical atmosphere. There’s a
nice outdoor cafe by the entrance and an
interesting souvenir shop selling Buddhist
accessories and Tibetan cloth.

Sleeping & Eating

Sungay Guesthouse

HOTEL $

(

252221; r ₹250-600)

The friendly Tibetan

management make this a great alternative
to rushing back to Gangtok. Rooms are
comfortable and good value, with hot-water
bathrooms, and many come with balconies.
It’s just inside Rumtek’s main entrance gate.

Bamboo Retreat

ECO RESORT $$

(

252516; www.bambooretreat.in; Sajong; s/d incl

breakfast & dinner from ₹3300/3900;

)

This

Swiss-run rural resort just below Rumtek is
a destination in its own right. There’s plenty
to keep you busy, with mountain bikes for
hire and guided hikes, or just relax with a
herbal bath and massage. The 12 colourful
rooms are all uniquely decorated. Culinary
highlights include an authentic Italian pizza
oven and Sikkimese food grown in the or-
ganic garden.

Sangay Hotel

GUESTHOUSE $

(

252238; d ₹350, s/d without bathroom

₹150/250,)

A simple but decent budget

option just below Rumtek.

Getting There & Away

Rumtek is 26km (1½ hours) from Gangtok by a

winding but scenic road. Lingdum Gompa is a

2km walk from Ranga or Ranka village, reached

by rough backlanes from Gangtok. Shared jeeps

run to Rumtek (₹30) every hour or so, with the

last jeep returning to Gangtok between 2pm and

3pm. A return taxi costs around ₹600. Linking

the two sites requires private transport (₹1000

to ₹1200).

Towards Tibet

TSOMGO (CHANGU, TSANGU) LAKE

ELEV 3780M

Pronounced Changu, this scenic high-altitude
lake about three hours’ drive from Gangtok is
a popular excursion for Indian visitors, but re-
stricted area permits are required for foreign
visitors. To get one, sign up for a tour by 2pm
and most Gangtok agents can get the permit
for next-day departure (two photos required).
A budget tour will cost around ₹2600 to
₹3500 per vehicle or ₹500 per person if you
can get a group together.

At the lakeside, food stalls sell hot chai,

chow mein and momos, while short yak
rides potter along the shore. If you can mus-
ter the puﬀ , the main attraction is clamber-
ing up a nearby hilltop for inspiring views.

NATHU LA

Indian citizens are permitted to continue
18km along the spectacular road from

Tsomgo Lake

to the 4130m

Nathu La

(Listening Ears Pass), whose border opened
with much fanfare in 2006 but to local
traﬃ

c only.

THE KARMAPA CONTROVERSY

The ‘Black Hat’ sect is so named because of the priceless ruby-topped headgear used to

crown the Karmapa (spiritual leader) during key ceremonies. Being woven from the hair

of dakinis (angels), the hat must be kept locked in a box to prevent it from fl ying back to

the heavens. Or at least that’s the oﬃ cial line. Nobody has actually seen the hat since

1993, after the death of the 16th Karmapa.

Since then the Kagyu school has been embroiled in a bitter controversy between two

rival candidates. The main candidate,

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

(www.kagyuoﬃ ce.org), fl ed

Tibet in 2000 but currently remains based at Dharamsala: Indian authorities are believed

to have prevented him from oﬃ cially taking up his Rumtek seat for fear of upsetting Chi-

nese government sensibilities. The rival candidate,

Thaye Dorje

(www.karmapa.org), lives

in nearby Kalimpong in West Bengal. Supporters of the two are locked in a legal dispute

over who can control Rumtek. To learn more about the controversy, read The Dance of 17

Lives by Mick Brown.

Only when the dispute is resolved and the 17th Karmapa is fi nally crowned will anyone

dare to unlock the box and check whether the sacred black hat is actually still there.

538

NOR

IKKI
M

A few kilometres southeast of Nathu La,

Jelep La

was the pass used by Francis Youn-

ghusband in the British Great Game-era
attack on Tibet (1903-04). Until 1962 Jelep
La was the main trade route between Ka-
limpong and Lhasa, but it shows no signs of
reopening.

NORTH SIKKIM

03592

The biggest attractions in North Sikkim are
the idyllic Yumthang and Tsopta Valleys.
Reaching them and anywhere north of Sing-
hik requires a special permit (p 530 ), which is
easy to obtain if you sign up for a tour. It’s pos-
sible to visit Phodong and Mangan/Singhik
independently using public jeeps but they can
also be conveniently seen during brief stops
on any Yumthang tour and at no extra cost.

The Yumthang and Tsopta Valleys are

very cold by October and become really
fi ngertip numbing between December and
February.

Gangtok to Singhik

The narrow but mostly well-paved 31AN-
HWay clings to steep wooded slopes above
the Teesta River, occasionally descending
in long coils of hairpins to a bridge photo-
genically draped in prayer fl ags, only to coil
right back up again on the other side. If driv-
ing, consider brief stops at Tashi Viewpoint
(p 531 ), Kabi Lunchok, Phensang and the
Seven Sisters waterfall.

Kabi Lunchok

, an atmospheric glade

17km north of Gangtok, decorated with me-
morial stones, is the site of a 13th-century
peace treaty between the chiefs of the Lep-
cha and Bhutia peoples. They swore a blood
brotherhood until the River Rangit ran dry
and Khangchendzonga ceased to exist.

The small 290-year-old Nyingmapa-

school

Phensang Gompa

is further north,

1km oﬀ the main road. It has beautifully dec-
orated lower and upper-fl oor prayer halls.
It’s all recent, though, as the monastery was
rebuilt after a 1957 fi re. A Chaam festival is
celebrated here on the 28th and 29th days of
the Tibetan 10th month, usually December.

Just over 30km north of Gangtok,

Seven

Sisters Waterfall

, a multistage cascade, cuts

a chasm above a roadside cardamom grove
and plummets into a rocky pool. It’s fi ne spot
for a photo and a welcome chai break.

The little strip of roadside restaurants at

Phodong

(1815m) make it a popular lunch

stop. About 1km southeast, near the Km39
post, a 15-minute walk along a side road leads
to the

Phodong Gompa

(established in 1740),

belonging to the Kagyu sect. The beautiful
two-storey prayer hall contains extensive mu-
rals and a large statue of the 9th Karmapa.
A rear room contains a hidden statue of Ma-
hakala, a protective deity of the monastery.

Drive or walk on another 1.5km uphill

to the much more atmospheric

Labrang

Gompa

(established in 1884), home to 100

monks. The inner walls of the eight-sided
main building are lined with over 1000 icons
of Padmasambhava, while upstairs a fear-
some statue of the guru sports a necklace of
severed heads. Chaam dances take place at
the end of December.

Between the two monasteries, just below

the road lie the 19th-century foundations
of

Tumlong

, Sikkim’s third capital. The

enigmatic palace ruins are worth a quick
scramble.

NORTH SIKKIM TOUR

TIPS

A group size of four or five people is

ideal for sharing costs while not overfill-

ing the jeep.

To find jeep-share partners, try ask-

ing around at the cafe at New Modern

Central Lodge (p 533 ) in Gangtok,

around 6pm a few days before you plan

to travel.

Less than four days is too rushed to

comfortably visit both Yumthang/Lac-

hung and Lachen. Three days is enough

to see just Yumthang. Three-night, four-

day tours range from around ₹6500 to

₹8000 per person for groups of four,

depending on accommodation and

vehicle standards. A budget two-night,

three-day tour starts around ₹4000

per person in a group of seven.

Leave Gangtok early on the first day:

it’s a shame to arrive in the dark.

Your (obligatory) ‘guide’ is actually

more of a translator. Don’t assume he’ll

stop at all potential points of interest

without prodding.

Bring a torch (flashlight) and warm

clothes.

539

NORTH

IKKIM

INGH
IK

North Sikkim’s district headquarters,

Mangan

(Km67 post; ie 28km from Pho-

dong) proudly declares itself to be the ‘Large
Cardamom Capital of the World’. Some
1.5km beyond, concrete stupas on a sharp
bend mark a small footpath; a three-minute
descent leads to a panoramic

viewpoint

and

an excellent tea stop.

Beyond Singhik

With relevant permits and an organised tour
you can continue north beyond Singhik. At
Chungthang, the next settlement, the road
branches up the Lachung Chu and Lachen
Chu valleys. If you only have time to visit
one valley, the Lachung Chu has the most
impressive scenery.

Accommodation is available in Lachung

and Lachen, with some basic options in
Thanggu. We have listed a few favourites but
your tour agency will normally preselect for
you. Cheaper hotels tend to have a mixed
bag of rooms with prices the same whether
or not the room has geyser, shower, heating,
window or balcony. Try to see a few diﬀ erent
rooms even if you can’t choose your hotel.

LACHUNG

3592 / ELEV 2630M

Soaring rock-pinnacled valley walls embroi-
dered with long ribbons of waterfall sur-
round the scattered village of Lachung. To
appreciate the full drama of its setting, take
the metal cantilever bridge across the wild
Yumthang River to the Sanchok side then
climb 1.5km along the Katao road for great
views from the

Lachung (Sarchok) Gompa

(established 1880). The gompa’s refi ned mur-
als include one section of original paintings
(inner left wall as you enter) and its twin
giant prayer wheels chime periodically.

Over a dozen hotels are dotted around

Lachung. Many outwardly modern places
maintain traditional Tibetan-style wood-fi re
kitchens that are a cosy place to linger over
a butter tea or a tongba of chhang. Some of
the better places:

Modern Residency

(Taagsing Retreat;

214888; www.modernresidency.com; Singring

village; d ₹2500)

Rooms are comfortable and

well decorated, though walk-in prices are
steep. Even if you don’t stay, the gompa-
style building 3km south of Lachung is
worth visiting for its upper-floor mini-
museum, library and bar. Staying here
is one advantage of booking a tour with
Modern Treks & Tours in Gangtok.

Mayfair Yarlam

(

9434330030; www

.yarlamresort.com; r from ₹8000)

The top

place in town.

Sila Inn

(

9474016226; d ₹1000)

Family run

and friendly, with a mixed bag of rooms
above a friendly hostel-restaurant. The
best rooms are on the top floor.

Crown Villa

(crownhotels@gmail.com)

New re-

sort under construction at time of writing.

YUMTHANG VALLEY

The main reason to come to Lachung is
to continue 23km further north to admire
the majestic Yumthang Valley, which starts
some 10km after leaving Lachung. This
point is also the entry to the

Singba Rhodo-

dendron Sanctuary

, whose network of hik-

ing trails oﬀ ers a welcome chance to get out
of the jeep. From March to early May a host
of primulas, 24 species of rhododendrons
and other fl ora bursts into fl ower to carpet
the valley fl oor.

At the Km23 point there are a number of

snack shacks that open up in the high sea-
son. Don’t bother with the hot springs, a
grimy, 2-sq-metre pool in a rubbish-ringed
hut on the other side of the river. As the val-
ley widens and fl attens, the scenery becomes
100% Himalayan, with jagged peaks, lush
pasturage and bridges draped with colour-
ful prayer fl ags.

From Yumthang you can continue up

switchbacks for 14km onto the snowy pla-
teau of

Yume Samdong (Zero Point)

at a

head-pounding 4640m, where a candelabra
of jagged peaks rises towards Tibet. This is
as far as you can go. The road starts to get
blocked by snow from mid-October.

LACHEN

POP 2000 / ELEV 2700M

The traditional mountain village of Lachen
is changing fast with the construction of
concrete tourist hotels. Nonetheless, alley-
ways remain sprinkled with old wooden
homes on sturdy stone bases and decorated
with colourful Tibetan-style window frames.
Logs are stacked everywhere for winter fuel.

Lachen (Nyudrup Choeling) Gompa

about 15 minutes’ walk above the town and
is most likely to be open early morning or
late afternoon. At the beginning of town, be-
side a giant cypress tree, is a huge mounted
prayer wheel and a spooky collection of geo-
metric threads designed to trap evil spirits.

Lachen is the trailhead for eight-day ex-

peditionary treks to

Green Lake

(5050m)

along the yeti-infested

Zemu Glacier

540

SOUTH

KIM

towards Khangchendzonga’s northeast face.
These require long advance planning and
very expensive permits.

Most groups stay in either the Shangrila

Residency, Bayul Inn or Twin Peak Lodge,
with rooms from around ₹500 to ₹800. A step
up is the

Lachen View Point

(

9434867312;

r ₹1500-4000)

. Best of the bunch is the luxu-

rious

Apple Orchard Resort

(www.theappleor

chardresort.com; r ₹4830-6050)

, above the village

next to the ani gompa (nunnery). The new
Blue Pine Hotel at the entry to town looks as
if it will have great views when fi nished.

THANGGU & TSOPTA

Beyond a sprawling army camp 32km north
of Lachen,

Thanggu

(3850m) has an end-of-

the-world feel. There are no phones (mobile
or otherwise), the electricity is solar gener-
ated and the Chinese are only 15km away.

Misleadingly named

Thanggu Resort

(d & tr ₹500;

May-Nov)

is a simple wooden

house incorporating a traditional-styled
kitchen and tongba-drinking den (tongba
₹20) that oﬀ ers a popular breakfast stop.
There are couple of grubby rooms upstairs.

A boulder-strewn stream leads on 2km to

the

Tsopta Valley

. Just above the tree line,

the scenery feels rather like Glencoe (Scot-
land), with the added drama of a glacier-
toothed mountain wall framing the western
horizon. A two-hour hike leads up to a pair
of meditation caves, one of which was used
for two years by the famous French traveller
and mystic Alexandra David-Neel.

Indian visitors can continue 30km north

to spectacular

Gurudongmar Lake

(5150m),

right on the border with Tibet, but the gla-
cial lake is oﬀ -limits to foreigners.

SOUTH SIKKIM

The main sights in South Sikkim are Nam-
chi’s gigantic statues but there are plenty of
other villages and viewpoints to explore here
in little-visited villages like Rinchenpong,
Uttarey and Hillay – for trip ideas see www.
sikkimtourismuttarey.com. Ravangla falls
administratively within South Sikkim, but
we cover it in the Gangtok to Pelling section
(West Sikkim), where it fi ts more logically.

Namchi

03595 / ELEV 1525M

Few travellers would linger in Namchi were
it not for the two huge statues, one Hindu,

the other Buddhist, that face each other
across the town from opposite hillsides.

There are several internet cafes in the

central pedestrianised plaza, along with an
Axis Bank, two ancient bodhi and pipal trees
and, oddly, a piranha aquarium.

Sights

Samdruptse

MONUMENT

(Indian/foreigner ₹10/20;

dawn-dusk)

Painted

in shimmering copper and bronze, the im-
pressive 45m-high Padmasambhava statue
dominates the forested Samdruptse ridge
and is visible for miles around. Known as
Guru Rinpoche in Tibetan, Padmasambhava
was the 8th-century holy man, magician
and Tantric master widely credited with
introducing Tantric Buddhism across the
Himalayan region. Completed in 2004 on
a foundation stone laid by the Dalai Lama,
the statue is starting to look a bit weathered
but is still impressive atop its lotus plinth.
The site is 7km from Namchi, 2km oﬀ the
Damthang/Ravangla road.

Taxis charge around ₹500 return. Alter-

natively, pay ₹300 for a one-way drop and
walk back to Namchi, either by shortcutting
down steps through the

rock garden

(ad-

mission ₹20)

or, more interestingly, follow-

ing the road down to

Ngadak Gompa

. A

large new gompa is under construction at
Ngadak, just uphill from a spooky Gönso
Lhakhang (protector chapel) but of most
interest is Ngadak’s ruined and neglected

old dzong

, dating back to 1717, which still

exudes a sense of old Sikkim. Its unpainted
stone exterior incorporates lovely carved
door pillars and, upstairs, intriguing but de-
crepit fragments of painting remain on the
peeling old cloth wallpaper. Bring a torch
(fl ashlight).

A cable-car style ropeway is currently

under construction to link the statue with
Namchi centre via the rock garden.

Solophuk

MONUMENT

Even grander than the Samdruptse Guru
is the massive 33m Shiva statue, currently
being fi nalised on the memorably named
Solophuk hilltop, 5km south of Namchi. A
huge complex of guesthouses, temples and
pagodas surround the statue, including rep-
licas of the Chor Dam, India’s four sacred
Hindu pilgrimage sites. Everything here is
on an epic scale – even the prayer beads that
Shiva holds in his hand are the size of can-
nonballs. A taxi here costs ₹500/300 for a
return/one-way drop.

541

WE
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G & E

G (
N

A B
AZ

Not satisfi ed with two statues, the town is

planning an equally epic statue of the god-
dess Devi on nearby Shakti Hill.

Sleeping & Eating

Dungmali Heritage Resort

GUESTHOUSE $$

(

9434126992; rairashmi_27@yahoo.co.in; So-

lophuk Rd; s ₹500, d ₹900-1500, deluxe ₹2500-

4000)

This friendly family-run guesthouse is

an excellent option. All the rooms are spot-
less and fresh, and most come with a balcony
and great views. The family grows its own
organic vegetables and oﬀ ers bird-watching
walks in 2.4 hectares of private jungle. It’s
4km from town on the road to Solophuk.

Seven Hills Resort

RESORT $$

(

9647783038; www.sevenhillsresort.com; Phali-

dara; d ₹2800-3200)

If it’s peace and quiet you

want, head to this relaxing resort on a remote
ridge, 7km northeast of Namchi. A dozen rustic
but comfortable cottages with private balco-
nies are dotted around gardens of passion-
fruit, bamboo and orchids, and the views
are superb. Warm up on cold evenings with
a glass of house-made rhododendron brandy.

Hotel Samdruptse

HOTEL $$

(

264806; Jorethang Rd; d ₹600-1000)

The

higher the room rate the better the
Khangchendzonga views from this decent
but slightly scruﬀ y concrete place. The hotel
is 300m west of the centre, along the road
to Jorethang, and includes Namchi’s most
pleasant restaurant (mains ₹50 to ₹130).

Hotel Zimkhang

HOTEL $

(

263625; s/d ₹300/450)

An acceptable bud-

get option in the main pedestrian plaza.

Getting There & Around

Share jeeps leave frequently when full to Jor-

ethang (₹30, one hour) from near the Hotel

Samdruptse; to Ravangla (₹40, one hour) and

Gangtok (₹110, 3½ hours) from the northwest

junction; and to Siliguri (₹120, three hours) from

a stand at the southern end of the pedestrian

mall. Services dry up around 3pm.

Buses leave from the ground fl oor of the huge

new transport complex on the east of town. There

are one or two departures each morning to Joreth-

ang (₹20), Ravangla (₹25) and Gangtok (₹80).

Jorethang (Naya Bazaar)

03595 / ELEV 520M

This bustling but charmless transport hub
between West Sikkim, Namchi and Darjeel-
ing/Siliguri is just a place to change jeeps.

If you get stuck here, the brightest, friend-

liest accommodation option remains the re-
cently renovated

Hotel Namgyal

(

276852;

d ₹450)

, on the main drag, 70m east of the

bridge, just before the SNT bus station.

Across the road beside the Darjeeling jeep

stand is a helpful

tourist office

(

8am-4pm

Mon-Sat Dec-Feb & Jun-Aug, 10am-8pm rest of yr)

Jeep services are expected to move to a

large new transport complex on the east
end of town. Until then, shared jeeps leave
regularly from next to the tourist oﬃ

for Darjeeling (₹100, two hours). Jeeps for
Gangtok (₹110, four hours), Geyzing (₹60,
two hours), Namchi (₹40, one hour) and
Siliguri (₹100, three hours) leave from a
chaotic stand 100m east. For Nepal there’s a
7am jeep to Kakarbhitta (₹150, four hours).
Buy tickets before boarding.

Jeeps for Tashiding (₹70, two hours) and

Yuksom (₹100, three hours) leave from a
third stand just to the west of this one.

Less frequent and slower buses run

from the SNT bus station to Gangtok (₹85,
12.30pm), Namchi (₹24, noon), Pelling (₹50,
2.30pm), Ravangla (₹45, noon) and Siliguri
(₹83, 9.30am)

WEST SIKKIM

Sikkim’s greatest tourist draw is simply star-
ing at Khangchendzonga’s white-peaked
magnifi cence from Pelling ridge. Most visit-
ors then add excursions to nearby water-
falls and monasteries, plus perhaps a spot
of walking. Some lovely hikes start from
the charming village of Yuksom, which is
also the trailhead for multiday group treks
to Dzongri and Goecha La (group trekking
permits required).

Ravangla (Rabongla)

03595 / ELEV 2010M

Rapidly expanding Ravangla (Rabong) is
spectacularly perched overlooking a wide
sweep of western Sikkim, the gompas of Old
Ralang, Tashiding, Pemayangtse and Sanga-
choeling all distantly visible against a horizon
that’s sawtoothed with snow-capped peaks.

The town has little aesthetic distinction,

but is useful as a hub to visit the interest-
ing surrounding sights. Joining the main
highway is Main Bazaar, a concentration of
shops, cheap hotels, the jeep stand and the

Cyber Cafe

(per hr ₹30;

8.15am-7pm)

542

T S

IKKI
M

Sights

Mane Choekhorling Gompa

MONASTERY

Steps lead up from the end of Main Bazaar
to this handsome new stone-and-wood
gompa. The festival ground here is the site
of the annual

Pang Lhabsol festival

(www

.panglhabsol.blogspot.com)

, held each August

in honour of Kanchendzonga. Chaam danc-
es take place on the 15th day of the seventh
lunar month.

Sakyamuni Complex

MONUMENT

Just behind the gompa is the huge new

Sakyamuni Complex

(www.sakyamuniproject.

com)

, centrepiece of which is a giant 41m tall

Buddha statue. The statue holds Buddhist
relics from 13 countries and will eventu-
ally include a meditation and hotel complex
when completed in 2012. The Dalai Lama
blessed the site in 2010.

Sleeping & Eating

Hotel 10-Zing

GUESTHOUSE $

(

9434241324; s ₹250, d ₹400-500)

At the

main junction, this friendly and helpful
place just has a few rooms so is often full.
Doubles have geysers; otherwise it’s free
bucket hot water. The good restaurant has
nice outdoor seating.

Mt Narsing Resort

RESORT $$

(

03592-226822; www.yuksom-tours.com; s/d

lower resort from ₹800/900, upper annexe from

₹1700/2000)

There are two wings at this rus-

tic bungalow place 5km southwest of Ravan-
gla. The lower main building is cheaper but
the ambience and views are better at the up-
per resort, which oﬀ ers a characterful lodge
with a fi re pit, good food and fi ne views
over the lawn towards Narsing and Pandim
peaks. A taxi to the lower/upper resort costs
₹70/200.

Kookie Restaurant

TIBETAN $

(

7am-8pm; mains ₹40-80)

This clean and

fresh Tibetan-run restaurant is easily the
best in town. The menu includes rice and
curry sets, Chinese sizzlers and good momos
and noodle soups, and the tables are even
decorated with fresh fl owers. Leave a note
on the ‘We Were Here’ noticeboard.

Getting There & Away

Luckypo Travels on the main highway books

shared jeeps to Gangtok (₹90, 8am to noon),

Pelling (₹90, 1pm), Siliguri (₹150, 7am to 8am)

and Geyzing (₹70, 9am); for Yuksom, change at

Geyzing. Jeeps to Namchi (₹45, one hour) and

Legship (₹40) leave from near Hotel 10-Zing.

The SNT bus booking oﬃ ce is part of Hotel

10-Zing. Buses run to Namchi (₹26, one hour,

9am and 1pm) and Siliguri (₹130 to ₹140, fi ve

hours, 6.30am).

Around Ravangla

Ralang

, 13km below Ravangla, the splen-

did and active 1995

Palchen Choeling

Monastic Institute

(New Ralang Gompa)

is home to about 200 Kagyu-order monks.
Arrive early morning or around 3pm to
hear them chanting in mesmerising unison.
There’s a 9m-high golden statue of the his-
torical Buddha in the main hall, and locally
the gompa is famous for elaborate butter
sculptures. Peek into the side room to see
the amazing eﬃ

gies used in November’s im-

pressive Mahakala dance.

About 1.5km downhill on the same road is

peaceful

Old Ralang Gompa

, established in

1768 and worth a visit.

A chartered taxi to Ralang costs around

₹500 from Ravangla (return with two hours’
wait).

Beside the main Legship road, 5.5km

from central Ravangla, small but fascinat-
ing

Yungdrung Kundrakling

is the only

Bon monastery in Sikkim. The originally
animistic Bon faith preceded Buddhism in
Tibet but has since been largely subsumed
by it. You’ll have to look closely to notice that
the deities are slightly diﬀ erent and that the
prayer wheels are turned anticlockwise.
Non-fl ash photography is allowed inside.
You can get here from Ravangla on a shared
jeep to Kewzing (₹20).

On the way back you could stop at the

roadside Cloud’s End Retreat for a tea before
descending the stone steps for ten minutes
to

Sakyamuni

(Doling Gompa)

, a monastery

complex.

Back in town, a steep three- to four-hour

hiking trail leads from above the Sakyamuni
statue to the top of

Maenam Hill

(3150m),

looming just above the town of Ravangla,
through the springtime rhododendrons and
magnolia blooms of the

Maenam Wildlife

Sanctuary

. The views are wonderful and

you just might see rare red pandas and
monal pheasants (Sikkim’s state bird). From
the summit continue 2km to

Bhaledunga

rock

, where the government is planning to

build an observation ‘skyway’. A guide is use-
ful to avoid getting lost in the forest on your

543

WE
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SIKKIM

ING
, TIK
JUK

LE
GS

HIP

return; arrange one for around ₹400 at the
forestry check post.

Geyzing, Tikjuk & Legship

03595

The following three towns have little to of-
fer a visitor apart from a permit extension
at Tikjuk and transport changes at Geyzing.
Geyzing is West Sikkim’s capital, but for per-
mit extensions you need Tikjuk, half way to
Pelling.

Tikjuk

is the District Administrative Cen-

tre for West Sikkim. Permits can be extend-
ed at the

Superintendent of Police office

(Side wing, 3rd fl ;

10am-4pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd

Sat of month)

Apart from its vaguely interesting Sunday

market,

Geyzing

is most useful as West Sik-

kim’s transport hub. Frequent shared jeeps
go to Jorethang (₹60, 1½ hours), Legship
(₹25, 30 minutes), Pelling (₹25, 20 minutes),
Tashiding (₹60, 1½ hours) and Yuksom (₹70,
2½ hours). Several serve Gangtok (₹140, sev-
en to nine hours, 7am to 12.30pm), Ravangla
(₹68, one hour, 9am and 11.45am) and Sili-
guri (₹150, four hours, 7am and 12.30pm).

When no other transport is available, es-

pecially to or from Tashiding, try connecting
at

Legship

. Should you get stranded,

Hotel

Trishna

(

250887; d/tr ₹200/300)

is simple,

with private bathrooms, bucket hot water
and a rooftop terrace.

Just 5km south of Legship, across the riv-

er, the

Phursangchu

hot springs and

Guru

Rinpoche

cave are worth a quick stop if you

have your own transport.

Pelling

03595 / ELEV 2085M

Pelling’s raison d’être is its stride-stopping
view of Khangchendzonga at dawn. It’s not
so much a town as a 2km string of tourist ho-
tels, but don’t be put oﬀ . The view is worth it.
Despite hordes of visitors, locals remain sur-
prisingly unjaded, and the best budget hotels
are great for meeting fellow travellers. The
helipad to the west of the centre gives mag-
nifi cent panoramic views, especially at dawn.

Pelling is nominally divided into Upper,

Middle and Lower areas, though these eﬀ ec-
tively merge. A focal point of Upper Pelling
is a small roundabout where the main road
from Geyzing turns 180 degrees in front of
Hotel Garuda. At the same point, minor

roads branch south to Dentam and south-
west to the helipad and tourist oﬃ

ce.

Tours

Most hotels and travel agencies oﬀ er one-
day tours. Popular options visit Yuksom
via Khecheopalri Lake and three waterfalls
(₹2000 to ₹2500 per jeepload) or combine
Khecheopalri Lake, Pemayangtse Gompa
and Rabdentse (₹1800 to ₹2000).

Hotel Garuda

(

258319; Upper Pelling; tours

per day per jeep ₹1800)

Half-day tours to Khe-

cheopalri Lake cost ₹1200; to Pemayangtse
and Rabdentse costs an extra ₹600.

Hotel Kabur

(

258504; deepesh83@yahoo.

co.in; Upper Pelling; day tours ₹2000)

Local

tours and more; ask about the treks
from Ribdi.

Sleeping

Most of Pelling’s hotels cater primarily to
midrange domestic tourists. Rates typically
drop 30% in low season and are highly nego-
tiable during low occupancy.

Hotel Garuda

HOTEL $

(

258319; Upper Pelling; dm ₹100, r ₹250-600, de-

luxe ₹900-1100;

)

A well-run backpacker fa-

vourite, with clean, spacious rooms, all with
hot shower and TV, good Khangchendzonga
views and a good-value restaurant ideal for
hooking up with other travellers. The owner
is very knowledgable about the region and
oﬀ ers guests a handy schematic guide map.

Hotel Kabur

HOTEL $

(

258504; deepesh83@yahoo.co.in; Upper Pelling;

r ₹150-600)

Entry is via the top fl oor, which is

a delightful restaurant backed by a verandah
that looks out onto the mountains. Rooms
have towels, soap, toilet paper and heaters in
winter – all usually absent in rooms of this
price, though rooms without a view can be
dark and cold. If you need to know some-
thing, do something or go somewhere, the
owners Deepen and his identical twin Deep-
esh are the people to ask (even if you’re never
quite sure which one you’re talking to!).

Norbu Ghang Resort

HERITAGE HOTEL $$$

(

258272; www.norbughangresort.com; Upper

Pelling; s/d from ₹2800/3000;

)

A spread of

pretty cottages (some private, some duplexes)
dots the hillside of this resort. Most have fi ne
views, so you can savour the dawn views from
the toasty-warm comfort of your own bed.
An afternoon beer on the lawn is another

544

T S

IKKI
M

highlight. A second Norbu Ghang resort and
spa is under construction behind this one.

Elgin Mount Pandim

HERITAGE HOTEL $$$

(

250756; www.elginhotels.com; s/d incl full board

₹5600/5900;

)

Pelling’s most historic hotel

is a fi ve-minute stroll from Pemayangtse gom-
pa, with arguably the best mountain views in
all of Sikkim. The fairy godmother of renova-
tion has been generous with the parlour-room
wicker and antiques and the Aussie-Tibetan
managers add a personal warmth to the el-
egant charm. Request a mountain-view room.

Hotel Sonamchen

HOTEL $$

(

258346; sonamchen07@yahoo.com; s/d from

₹1000/1200)

The rooms here can’t deliver

on the expectations created by the ornately
decorated lobby but most do have superb
Khangchendzonga views, with rates de-
creasing in price as you descend the fl oors.
The standard rooms with balcony oﬀ er the
best value.

Pelling has over 80 hotels. Other options:

Touristo Hotel

HOTEL $$

(

258206; Lower Pelling; d ₹500-1000)

Only

the best rooms have good Khangchend-
zonga views.

Hotel Rabdentse Residency

HOTEL $$

(

258612; www.saikripa.in; Lower Pelling; d

from ₹850-1050, ste ₹1800-3300)

Downstairs

behind the Touristo, with some views and
a good restaurant.

Eating & Drinking

Pelling’s best dining is in the hotels. The
Norbu Ghang, Garuda, Kabur and Rabden-
tse Residency are the best bets.

Melting Point

MULTICUISINE $

(Middle Pelling; mains ₹60-110)

It’s a short stroll

downhill to this friendly restaurant, which
oﬀ ers cosy indoor seating or excellent ter-
race views. The wide menu ranges from
baked potatoes to Sikkimese fi xed meals
(₹350; ordered in advance). There’s 20% dis-
count between 5pm and 7pm.

Information

Paylink Cyber Zone (per hr ₹50;

8am-7pm)

Just below Hotel Kabur.

SBI ATM Opposite the Hotel Garuda.

Tourist office (

9434630876;

9am-5pm)

Getting There & Away

SNT buses run to Siliguri (₹135, four hours, 7am)

via Jorethang (₹40, 2½ hours); book at the SNT

counter

(Hotel Pelling) in Lower Pelling from

where the buses depart.

Father Tours (

258219; Upper Pelling) runs

shared jeeps at 7am for Gangtok (₹200, fi ve

hours) and Siliguri (₹200, 4½ hours).

If nothing is available ex-Pelling, change in

Geyzing. Shared jeeps to Geyzing (₹25, 20 min-

utes) leave frequently from near the Hotel Ga-

ruda, passing close to Pemayangtse, Rabdentse

and Tikjuk district administrative centre.

For Khecheopalri Lake (₹60) or Yuksom (₹60)

jeeps start from Geyzing, passing through Pelling

between noon and 1pm. The Kabur and Garuda

Pelling

Activities, Courses & Tours

Hotel Garuda........................................B2

Hotel Kabur ..........................................B2

Sleeping

Hotel Parodzong..................................A2

Hotel Rabdentse Residency ............... A1

Hotel Simvo..........................................A2

Hotel Sonamchen................................A2

Norbu Ghang Resort ...........................A2

Touristo Hotel ...................................... A1

Eating

Melting Point........................................ A1

Information

Tourist Office .......................................B2

Transport

Father Tours ........................................B2

Shared Jeeps to Geyzing ....................B2

SNT Counter (Hotel Pelling)............... A1

Playing

Field

Lookout

Helipad

Pelling

200 m

0.1 miles

Pelling

To Sangachoelling
Gompa (1.5km)

To Pemayangtse

Gompa (1.3km)

To Geyzing

(10km)

To Yuksom

(36km)

‚

545

WE
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OUND

ELL

ING

hotels can book seats for you, or simply join a

day-trip tour and throw away the return ticket.

Around Pelling

PEMAYANGTSE GOMPA

Literally translated as ‘Perfect Sublime Lo-
tus’, the 1705

Pemayangtse gompa

(Indian/

foreigner ₹10/20;

7am-5pm)

is one of Sik-

kim’s oldest and most signifi cant Nying-
mapa gompas. Magnifi cently set on a hilltop
(2100m) overlooking the Rabdentse ruins,
the atmospheric compound is ringed by
gardens and traditional cottages used by the
resident monks. The ground fl oor features
a central Buddha, while upstairs fi erce-look-
ing statues depict all eight reincarnations
of Padmasambhava. On the top fl oor is an
astounding seven-tiered model represent-
ing Padmasambhava’s heavenly abode of
Zangtok Pelri, handmade over fi ve laborious
years by a single dedicated lama.

During February/March impressive

chaam dances celebrating Losar culminate
with the unfurling of a huge gyoku (giant
embroidered thangka) and the zapping of
evil demons with a great fi reball.

Pemayangtse is 1.5km from Upper Pel-

ling, along the road to Geyzing, and is eas-
ily combined with a visit to Rabdentse. The
signposted turn-oﬀ is near an obvious stupa.

RABDENTSE

The royal capital of Sikkim from 1670 to
1814, the now-ruined

Rabdentse

(admission

free;

dawn-dusk)

consists of chunky wall-

stubs with a few inset inscription stones.
These would look fairly unremarkable were
they not situated on such an utterly fabulous
viewpoint ridge. The entrance to the site is
around 3km from Upper Pelling, along the
road to Geyzing. The ruins are a 10-minute
walk from the site’s yellow gateway. As the
sign says, ‘Do not get tired. Great excitement
is awaiting’!

SANGACHOELING GOMPA

The second-oldest gompa in all of Sikkim,
charming

Sangachoeling

has some beauti-

ful murals and a peaceful ridgetop setting.
It’s a steep 2km walk from Pelling starting
along the dirt track that veers left where the
asphalted road rises to Pelling’s new helipad.
A huge statue of Chenresig, the Buddhist Bo-
dhissatva of Compassion, is currently under
construction just behind the monastery

A jungle trek continues 10km beyond

Sangachoeling to

Rani Dhunga

(Queen’s

Rock), supposedly the scene of an epic Ra-
mayana battle between Rama and 10-head-
ed demon king Ravana. Arrange a guide
(₹300 to ₹400) from the Kabur or Garuda
hotels.

The Monastery Loop

Day-long and overnight jeep tours from Pel-
ling take in the major sights here, or you
can do a great adventurous three-day trip
from Pelling to Tashiding via Khecheopalri
Lake, using a combination of jeeps and hik-
ing. Alternatively, consider catching a ride
to wonderful Yuksom via Khecheopalri Lake
using tour jeeps and hiking from there to
Tashiding.

PELLING TO YUKSOM

Tourist jeeps stop at several relatively
lacklustre time-fi ller sites.

Rimbi

and

Khangchendzonga Falls

are best after

rains while

Phamrong Falls

are impressive

any time. Although it’s several kilometres up
a dead-end spur road, virtually all Yuksom-
bound tours visit Khecheopalri, dropping
you for about half an hour at a car park fi ve
minutes’ walk from the little lake.

Pronounced ‘catch-a-perry’, the holy

Khecheopalri Lake

(1950m) is highly re-

vered by both Sikkimese Buddhists and
Lepcha animists who believe that birds as-
siduously remove any leaves from its sur-
face. During Khecheopalri Mela (March/
April), butter lamps are fl oated out across
the lake. Prayer wheels line the lake’s jetty,
which is backed by fl uttering prayer fl ags
and Tibetan inscriptions, but the setting,
ringed with forested hills, is serene rather
than dramatic. The best way to appreciate
the site is to stay overnight and visit once
the tourists have left.

Around the car park is a Buddhist nun-

nery, a couple of shops and the simple

If you are headed to or from Pema-

yangtse Monastery, pop into the

Lotus

Bakery

(cake ₹25-30;

8am-5pm), 15

minutes’ walk above Pelling, for a re-

storative slice of carrot or banana cake.

All money raised goes to the nearby

Denjong Pema Choling Academy.

546

T S

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Jigme Restaurant

serving tea and chow

mein. From the car park a path to the left
leads uphill for 20 minutes to

Khecheopalri

Gompa

and stupa, high above the lake. A

hiking trail from here leads up for a couple
of hours to the Duphuk meditation cave and
viewpoint, where the outline of the lake be-
low looks like a footprint. There are other
viewpoints to explore around the lake.

Just beside the gompa and run by a local

lama is

Pala’s Guest House

(

9832471253;

per person incl 3 meals ₹300)

, with more rooms

available at next-door Sonam’s nicer an-
nexe. The wooden rooms are simple, but
it’s a great opportunity to slow things down
a bit, do some hiking and even learn some
meditation.

Deepen Pradhan also operates a good

homestay

(

9735945598; per person incl one

meal ₹450),

fi ve minutes’ walk away; for de-

tails ask at the Kabur Hotel in Pelling.

Shared jeeps to Geyzing (₹70, two hours)

leave the parking lot at 6am, travelling via
Pelling.

A hiking trail to Yuksom (9km, three to

fi ve hours) leaves the road about 400m be-
fore the car park and descends steeply in
90 minutes to the main road (take the right
branch after crossing the Runom Khola
river), emerging near the Khangchendzonga
Falls. After the road suspension bridge, fol-
low the concrete steps uphill to meet the
Yuksom road, about 2km below Yuksom
village. Alternatively hitch a ride (₹30) once
you get to the road.

YUKSOM

03595 / ELEV 1780M

Loveable little Yuksom is historic, charming
and unspoilt. Domestic tourists avoid it as
it lacks the mountain views and it hasn’t
become a travellers’ ghetto like Hampi or
Manali. The town is the main trailhead for
the treks towards Mt Khangchendzonga.

Sights

Norbugang Park

SACRED SITE

Yuksom means ‘meeting place of the three
lamas’, referring to the trio of Tibetan holy
men who crowned the fi rst chogyal of Sik-
kim here in 1641. The charming site is now
Norbugang Park, which contains a small
temple, huge mani khorlo (prayer wheel),
chorten (stupa) and the supposedly original

Coronation Throne

(Norbugang). Standing

beneath a vast cryptomeria pine, it looks
something like an ancient Olympic podium
made of whitewashed stone. Just in front of

the throne is a spooky footprint fused into
the stone, believed to be that of one of the
crowning lamas: you can see a distinct im-
pression of sole and toes.

Walking up to Norbugang Park past Hotel

Tashi Gang you’ll pass the murky prayer-fl ag-
lined

Kathok Lake

, from which anointing

waters were taken for the original coronation.

Tashi Tenka

RUINS

When Yuksom was Sikkim’s capital, a royal
palace complex known as Tashi Tenka sat
on a ridge to the south with superb almost
360-degree views. Today barely a stone re-
mains but the views are still superb. To fi nd
the site head south out of town and take the
small uphill path marked by two weathered
stupas near the school football pitch. The
site is 10 minutes’ walk away through the
charming village of Gupha Dara.

Dubdi Gompa

MONASTERY

High on the ridge above Yuksom, Dubdi
(Hermit’s Cell) Gompa

is set in beautifully

tended gardens behind three coarsely hewn
stupas. Established in 1701, it is said to be
Sikkim’s oldest monastery, though the cur-
rent chapel looks much newer. Start the
steep 40-minute climb from upper Yuksom’s
primary health centre; the clear path rises
through thickets of trumpet lilies and some
lovely mature forest.

Kathok Wodsallin Gompa

MONASTERY

Yuksom has two photogenic new gompas.
Kathok Wodsallin Gompa, near Hotel Tashi
Gang, has an impressively stern statue of
Guru Padmasambhava surrounded by a col-
lection of yogis, gurus and lamas in glass-
fronted compartments. The entry is up a
path opposite the Tashigang Hotel.

Ngadhak Changchub

Choling Gompa

MONASTERY

This other new and similarly colourful
gompa is accessed through an ornate gate-
way opposite Hotel Yangri Gang. The main
statue is of an 11-headed Chenresig, the Bod-
hissatva of Compassion.

Activities

Several trekking agencies in Yuksom can
organise a Khangchendzonga trek given a
couple of days warning. Prices start around
US$40 per person per day assuming a group
of four. The best:

Alpine Exodus Tours & Travel

TREKKING

(

9735087508; nawang.bhutia@gmail.com; Hotel

Yangri Gang)

547

WE
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THE
MONAS

Desire Earth Treks & Expeditions

TREKKING

(

9733052919; www.trekinsikkim.com) Next to

Hotel Pemathang

Mountain Tours and Treks

TREKKING

(

9641352656; www.sherpatreks.in)

Sleeping & Eating

Foreign trekking groups often book out the
Tashi Gang and Yuksom Residency hotels so
it’s wise to make reservations for these plac-
es. Khangchendzonga Conservation Commit-
tee (p 547 ) arranges

homestays

(per person full

board ₹500-700)

, oﬀ ering travellers the chance

to connect with locals, eat local food and
even share in chores like milking the cows.

Hotel Demazong

HOTEL $

(

9775473687; dm ₹80-100, r ₹500, without bath-

room ₹200)

The concrete exterior isn’t exactly

charming but the rooms here are spacious,
clean and decent value, making this the
most popular budget option.

Hotel Tashi Gang

HOTEL $$

(

9733077249; hoteltashigang@gmail.com; s/d

from ₹1200/1500)

The traditional bedspreads,

painted furniture and decorative thangkas
add an element of Sikkimese style to this
good-value place. Rooms are large (some
with balconies), beds are comfortable and
there’s a nice lawn.

Yuksom Residency

HOTEL $$

(

241277; www.yuksomresidency.com; s/d from

₹2500/2700;

)

The plushest place in town

has clean spacious rooms, a pleasant garden
and even a meditation hall; perfect for re-

turning trekkers in need of a hot shower and
a splash of decadence.

Hotel Yangri Gang

HOTEL $

(

241217; d ₹500-800, without bathroom ₹300;

)

The basement rooms are functional

concrete cubes, but the upstairs options are
airy with clean wooden fl oors, wooden half-
panelling and good hot showers. It’s a good
upper budget option favoured by trekkers.

Eating

Gupta Restaurant

MULTICUISINE $

(mains ₹35-90;

5am-9pm)

Beers, curries, piz-

za, breakfasts and almost anything else you
could dream up (including quesadillas!) are
available in this popular backpacker cafe.
Sit outside at the sociable thatched cabana
or keep warm in the cosy interior. The next-
door Yak Restaurant is similar but has a
smaller menu.

Information

Community Information Centre (internet per

hr ₹50;

10am-3pm Mon-Sat) Offers internet

connections in an unlikely hut near Kathok Lake.

Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee

(

9733158268; www.kccsikkim.org;

10am-

4pm) An impressive local environmental group

that offers information on local ecotourism

options, recycling initiatives and homestays. An

internet cafe is planned. The

office is at the top of town, 300m past the

Gupta Restaurant.

Getting There & Away

Around 6.30am, several shared jeeps leave

for Jorethang (₹100, four hours) via Tashiding

YUKSOM TO TASHIDING HIKE

Starting in Yuksom is easier than coming the other way for this long but highly rewarding

one-day hike. No trekking permits are required. Figure on six hours of walking (19km),

plus another two hours visiting the monasteries. Porter-guides are available in Yuksom

for around ₹400.

Start by ascending to

Dubdi Gompa

(p 546 ), from where a path dips into a side val-

ley for 40 minutes to

Tsong

, where the trail divides. The lower route returns to Yuksom,

while the upper route leads uphill past cardamom fi elds to lonely

Hongri Gompa

, a

small, unusually unpainted ancient monastery with a superlative ridge-top location.

Local folklore claims the gompa was moved here from a higher spot where monks kept

being ravaged by yeti.

A signpost points the way downhill for 20 minutes to

Nessa

hamlet, continuing down

to the new road 10 minutes before the village of

Pokhari Dara

(four hours from Yuk-

som). Follow the road until a footpath branches towards

Sinon Gompa

(built 1716), high

above Tashiding. The path then drops steeply down steps behind the yellow monastic

school, following village trails down to Tashiding. The switchbacking road takes much

longer.

548

T S

IKKI
M

(₹50, 1½ hours), and Geyzing via Pelling (₹70,

approximately 2½ hours). Jeeps to Gangtok

(₹180, six hours) leave early in the morning and,

less reliably, in the afternoon. Try to book the

day before, either at the shop next to the Gupta

Restaurant or at the hut opposite.

DZONGRI & GOECHA LA – THE
KHANGCHENDZONGA TREK

For guided groups with permits, Yuksom is
the starting point of Sikkim’s classic seven-
to 10-day trek to

Goecha La

, a 4940m pass

with quite fabulous views of Khangchend-
zonga.

Trek costs start at US$40 to US$60 per

person per day (assuming a group of four),
including food, guides, porters and yaks. You
have to arrange your trek through a trekking
agency, who will sort out the permits. Paper-
work must be done in Gangtok but, given
two or three days, agents in Pelling or Yuk-
som can organise things by sending a fi xer
to the capital for you.

Don’t underestimate the rigours of the

trek. Don’t hike too high too quickly: altitude
sickness often strikes those who are fi ttest
and fastest. Starting early makes sense, as
rain is common in the afternoons, spoiling
views and making trail sections annoyingly
muddy. Check all your equipment before set-
ting oﬀ , making sure there are enough good-
quality sleeping bags to go around. Bring a
torch (fl ashlight). For full details of the trek
see Lonely Planet’s Trekking in the Indian
Himalaya.

March to May is an ideal time to trek.

By the end of May the monsoon rains have
started to arrive. Clearest skies are from
October to December, when snow starts to
block the trails.

The route initially follows the Rathong

Valley through unspoilt forests then ascends
steeply to

Baktim

(Bakhim; 2750m) and the

rustic Tibetan village of

Tsokha

(3050m),

established in 1969 by Tibetan refugees and
the last village on the trail, where spending
two nights helps with acclimatisation.

The next stage climbs to pleasant mead-

ows around

Dzongri

(4020m). Consider an-

other acclimatisation day here spent stroll-
ing up to

Dzongri La

(4550m, four-hour

round-trip) for fabulous views of Mt Pandim
(6691m).

From Dzongri, the trail drops steeply

Kokchurong

then follows the river to

Thangsing

(3930m). Trekkers have rec-

ommended spending an extra day here
to visit the beautiful lake at Lampokhari,

three hours’ walk away. Next day takes you
to camping at

Lamuni

, 15 minutes before

Samiti Lake

(4200m), from where a next-

morning assault takes you to head-spinning

Goecha La

(4940m) for those incredible

views of Khangchendzonga. A further view-
point, an hour’s walk further, oﬀ ers even
closer views.

The return is by essentially the same route.

Alternatively at Dzongri you could cut south
for about a week following the

Singalila

Ridge

along the Nepal–Sikkim border to

emerge at

Uttarey

, from where public trans-

port runs to Jorethang.

There are government-run trekkers’

huts at Baktim, Tsokha, Dzongri, Kokchu-
rong and Thangsing, but most have neither
furniture nor mattresses and huts some-
times get booked out with noisy student
groups during high season. It’s far better to
bring all camping equipment and food.

TASHIDING

ELEV 1490M

Little Tashiding is just a single, sloping mar-
ket street forking north oﬀ the Yuksom–
Legship road, but its south-facing views are
wide and impressive.

Walking 400m south from the junction

towards Legship takes you down past a
series of

mani walls

with bright painted

mantras to a colourful

gateway

. A 2.5km

KHANGCHENDZONGA TREK

SCHEDULE

STAGE ROUTE

DURATION

Yuksom to Tsokha,

via Baktim

6-7 hr

Optional acclimati-

sation day at Tsokha

1 day

Tsokha to Dzongri

4-5 hr

Acclimatisation day

at Dzongri, or con-

tinue to Kokchurong

1 day

Dzongri (or Kokchu-

rong) to Lamuni, via

Thangsing

6-7 hr

Lamuni to Goecha

La, then down to

Thangsing

8-9 hr

Thangsing to

Tsokha

6-7 hr

Tsokha to Yuksom

5-6 hr

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WE
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MONAS

uphill driveable track (and much shorter
footpath) leads to a car park from where
a footpath leads up between an avenue of
prayer fl ags to the atmospheric Nyingmapa-
school

Tashiding Gompa

, about 30 minutes’

walk away.

Founded in 1641 by one of the three Yuk-

som lamas (see p 546 ), the monastery’s fi ve
colourful religious buildings are strung out
between more functional monks’ quarters.
Notice the giant-sized prayer wheel with
Tibetan script picked out in gilt. Beautifully
proportioned, the four-storey

main prayer

hall

has a delicate fi ligree topknot, with

wonderful views across the semi-wild fl ower
garden towards Ravangla. The Dalai Lama
chose the magical spot for a two-day medita-
tion retreat in 2010.

Beyond the last monastic building, an un-

usual compound contains dozens of white
chortens, including the

Thongwa Rangdol

said to wash away the sins of anyone who
gazes upon it. Smaller but more visually
exciting is the golden

Kench Chorgi Lorde

stupa. Propped up all around are engraved
stones bearing the Buddhist mantra om

mani padme hum; at the back of the com-
pound is the engraver’s lean-to.

In January or February, the monastery

celebrates the Bumchu festival during
which lamas gingerly open a sacred pot.
Then, judging from the level of holy water
within, they make all-important predictions
about the coming year.

The central wooden

Mt Siniolchu Guest

House

(

243211; r without bathroom ₹200)

is a

basic but friendly budget option. Concrete

New Tashiding Lodge

(

243249; tr without

bathroom ₹300-350)

, 300m south of the mar-

ket, has fi ne views from Rooms 3, 4 and 5 and
even better ones from the shared bathroom.

Yatri Niwas

(

9832623654; kabirbista@

yahoo.com; s/d ₹1000/1200)

is an excellent mid-

range place down at the base of town by the
turn-oﬀ to the monastery, oﬀ ering spacious
rooms, lovely gardens and a good restaurant.

Shared jeeps to Gangtok (₹130, four

hours), Jorethang (₹70, two hours) and
Geyzing (₹60, 1½ hours) leave from the
main junction between 6.30am and 8am.
A few jeeps to Yuksom pass through during
early afternoon.

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